Some power brokers in the Peoples Democratic Party are
plotting to counter an alleged plan by the current Chairman of
the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to transmute into the party’s
presidential candidate in 2019.


There is a belief within the party that Sheriff and Ekiti State
Governor, Ayodele Fayose, are planning to jointly run for the
presidency in 2019.

A reliable source within the party told Punch correspondents
that Fayose backed Sheriff for the chairmanship position
because he (Fayose) had plans to be Sheriff’s running mate in
the 2019 presidential election.

Two weeks ago, Sheriff, a former Governor of Borno State, had
said that God “used Fayose to make me chairman.”
Already, the PDP, which is in control of only two northern
states (Gombe and Taraba), has zoned the presidency to the
North in 2019.

A member of the Board of Trustees of the party from the
North-East who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there
was no way both men would be allowed to fly the party’s
ticket.

The source, a party man of several years standing, said, “This
is a joke of the century. These two are controversial. Sheriff
has not even been allowed into the party fully.

“Now, they are saying he wants to be President. It isn’t
possible. That will signify the death of the party as millions
would either defect or go and form another party.”

A reliable source within the party said some party chiefs were
bothered by Sheriff and Fayose’s close relationship. In recent
times, both men have attended several social events together
including the wedding of Fayose’s niece in Lagos on Saturday.


He said, “Sheriff is rich but he is not the richest northern
politician in the PDP. He does not have the backing of the
northern elements in the PDP given the fact that he is still quite
new in the party. Sheriff’s tenure is meant to end by May but
there is a plot to elongate his tenure till 2018 and in the
process, gain control of the party structure.

“He will then resign and run for the presidency but we will not
allow him.”

The source said, “Already, supporters of Governor Ibrahim
Dankwambo of Gombe State and former FCT Minister, Bala
Mohammed, are spoiling for a fight as both governors also
have presidential ambitions. In the current dispensation, the
governors are two of the most influential PDP politicians from
the North.


“Fayose has obviously miscalculated. He is going in October
2018 and his immunity will end seven months before Buhari’s
tenure ends. With the way he has been attacking President
Muhammadu Buhari, I don’t know how he will survive without
his immunity within that period. He thinks his support for
Sheriff will endear him to northern politicians but they are not
happy with him with the way he has been attacking Buhari.”
Two weeks ago, the South-West chapter of the party had
declared its support for the North to retain the PDP’s national
chairmanship position and endorsed Senator Buruji Kashamu
as its zonal leader.


Another source, a senior party man, told Punch correspondent
that the endorsement of Sheriff was a ploy to ensure that he
remained as the chairman till 2018.

The source who is a member of the PDP Ministers’ Forum, told
Punch correspondent that Fayose, Governor Nyesom Wike of
Rivers State and Kashamu were “taking members of the party
for granted”.

“Sheriff’s plan is to metamorphose from the chairman to the
presidential candidate and that was why Fayose brought him
in. Fayose, Wike and Buruji are the ones supporting Sheriff for
President. The North will get the presidency but their plan will
not work because Sheriff is not our candidate,” he said.


Why Fayose is backing Sheriff — Aide
However, Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi,
said Fayose was concerned with governance and thus had no
time to be scheming for 2019.

Adelusi said Fayose was supporting Sheriff because he wanted
the party to be strong ahead of the 2019 elections.

He said, “The governor is busy with the construction of three
legacy projects the New Oba Market; the flyover and the
airport. These are the three legacy projects. He has even said
repeatedly that he is not running for the Senate.

“His plan is to deliver the dividends of democracy. His support
for Sheriff is to stabilise the party so that the party can win
again in 2019. The party is almost in disarray due to the
exodus of many of the leaders to the APC. He supported a
national chairman that can re-engineer the party. His love for
Sheriff is based on the love he has for the party.”


S’West should produce chairman — Chieftain
A chieftain of the PDP in Ogun State, Mr. Fasiu Bakene, in an
interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said the South-West should
produce the party chairman.

He stated, “The recent call by some members of the PDP from
the South-West pushing for the national chairman from the
North is nothing but for personal benefit of the major convener
of the meeting.

“Firstly, since 1998, the South-West had never produced the
party’s chairman. Secondly, the Senator Ike Ekweremadu
Committee had zoned the presidency to the North. Thirdly, it is
an attempt to arm-twist and get favour of the party’s national
chairman.”

Fayose bold enough to contest any office – Babatope
On his part, a Board of Trustees member of the PDP, Chief
Ebenezer Babatope, said that Fayose is qualified to emerge as
the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP.

Babatope, who spoke in a telephone interview with one of
Punch correspondents, on Saturday, said Fayose had yet to
make his rumoured ambition public.

The former Minister of Transport, however, said that it was the
turn of the South-West region to produce the next national
chairman of the PDP.

He said, “Governor Ayodele Fayose has not told anyone that
he wants to vie for the vice-presidential ticket of the PDP. He is
a bold politician, who would come out and contest for an office
he wishes to occupy. But so far, all is still in the realm of
speculation.

“The South-West wanted the position of the national chairman
of the PDP but former President Olusegun Obasanjo truncated
the aspiration because he wanted to become the PDP BoT
chairman.”

When asked if he was in contention for the PDP national
chairmanship, Babatope said he was not.


“I am not running for the PDP national chairmanship. But I will
support anyone from the zone to clinch the position. The
South-West zone deserves the position.
“If the North is producing the presidential candidate, the
South-West should have the national chairmanship position”
he said.

Babatope said the vice-presidential ticket of the PDP would be
up for grabs in 2019 while that of the national chairmanship is
a pressing issue.


“When we reach the river we would cross it. The vice-
presidential ticket would be vied for in 2019 but the national
chairmanship post is a pressing issue,” Babatope said.

http://africanspotlight.com/2016/04/02/things-fall-apart-in-pdp-sherifffayoses-2019-ambition-unsettles-party/